Apparatuses for cleaning a surface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10575628-B2
Application number	US-201815890923-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2018
Priority date	Feb 7, 2018
Publication date	Mar 3, 2020
Grant date	Mar 3, 2020

Abstract

An apparatus ( 100 ), for cleaning a surface ( 102 ), comprises a handle ( 126 ) and a bracket ( 104 ), connected to the handle ( 126 ). The apparatus ( 100 ) further comprises a drum ( 108 ), rotatably coupled to the bracket ( 104 ) and rotatable about a first axis ( 110 ) relative to the bracket ( 104 ), a drum motor ( 130 ), mounted to the handle ( 126 ), and a drum power-transmitting component ( 132 ), rotationally coupling the drum motor ( 130 ) and the drum ( 108 ). The apparatus ( 100 ) also comprises a brush motor ( 114 ), mounted to the drum ( 108 ), and a brush ( 112 ), rotatable by the brush motor ( 114 ) relative to the drum ( 108 ) about a second axis ( 116 ), which is parallel to the first axis ( 110 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for cleaning a surface, the apparatus comprising:
a handle;
a bracket, connected to the handle;
a drum, rotatably coupled to the bracket and rotatable about a first axis relative to the bracket;
a drum motor, mounted to the handle;
a drum power-transmitting component, rotationally coupling the drum motor and the drum;
a brush motor, mounted to the drum; and
a brush, rotatable by the brush motor relative to the drum about a second axis, which is parallel to the first axis.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second brush motor, mounted to the drum, and
a second brush, rotatable by the second brush motor relative to the drum about a fourth axis, parallel to the first axis and the second axis.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein:
the handle comprises:
a handle grip and
a handle support, connected to the handle grip and having a handle opening, and

the drum motor is located at least partially within the handle opening.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the handle grip comprises:
a first grip portion, oriented parallel to the first axis, and
a second grip portion, oriented perpendicular to the first axis.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the drum is selectively rotatable relative to the bracket.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein:
the drum motor comprises:
a drum-motor housing and
a drum-motor output shaft, rotatable relative to the drum-motor housing about a tenth axis, parallel to the first axis, and

the drum power-transmitting component is operatively coupled with the drum-motor output shaft.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising a drum-motor brace, connected to the drum-motor housing and to the handle support.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein:
the handle opening comprises:
a first opening portion, oriented parallel to the first axis, and
a second opening portion, oriented perpendicular to the first axis and at least partially intersecting the first opening portion;

the drum-motor housing is located within the first opening portion of the handle opening; and
the drum-motor brace is mounted within the second opening portion of the handle opening.

9. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein:
the brush motor comprises:
a brush-motor housing and
a brush-motor output shaft, rotatable relative to the brush-motor housing about a third axis, parallel to the first axis, and

the brush is operatively coupled with the brush-motor output shaft.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein:
the second brush motor comprises:
a second brush-motor housing and
a second brush-motor output shaft, rotatable relative to the second brush-motor housing about a fifth axis, parallel to the first axis and the third axis, and

the second brush is operatively coupled with the second brush-motor output shaft.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising a brush arm, connected to the drum and configured to retain the brush, and wherein the brush arm comprises a brush drivetrain, operatively coupled with the brush-motor output shaft and with the brush to rotate the brush relative to the brush arm about the second axis.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising a second brush arm, connected to the drum and configured to retain the second brush, and wherein the second brush arm comprises a second brush drivetrain, operatively coupled with the second brush-motor output shaft and with the second brush to rotate the second brush relative to the second brush arm about the fourth axis.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein:
the brush drivetrain comprises:
a brush-drive input component, connected to the brush-motor output shaft and rotatable about the third axis relative to the brush motor;
a brush-drive output component, rotatable about the second axis relative to the brush arm; and
a brush power-transmitting component, operatively coupled with the brush-drive input component and the brush-drive output component, and

the brush is configured to be coupled to the brush-drive output component.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein:
the brush arm further comprises a brush bearing and
the brush comprises a brush body, configured to be connected to the brush bearing.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein:
the second brush drivetrain comprises:
a second brush-drive input component, connected to the second brush-motor output shaft and rotatable about the fifth axis relative to the second brush motor;
a second brush-drive output component, rotatable about the fourth axis relative to the second brush arm; and
a second brush power-transmitting component, operatively coupled with the second brush-drive input component and the second brush-drive output component, and

the second brush is configured to be coupled to the second brush-drive output component.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein:
the second brush arm further comprises a second brush bearing and
the second brush comprises a second brush body, configured to be connected to the second brush bearing.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16 , further comprising a brush-arm motor, mounted to the drum, and wherein the brush arm is rotatable by the brush-arm motor relative to the drum about a sixth axis, coincident with the third axis.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the second brush arm is rotatable by the brush-arm motor relative to the drum about a seventh axis, coincident with the fifth axis.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein:
the brush-arm motor comprises:
a brush-arm-motor housing and
a brush-arm-motor output shaft, rotatable relative to the brush-arm-motor housing about an eighth axis, parallel to the first axis, and

the brush arm is operatively coupled with the brush-arm-motor output shaft.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19 , further comprising a brush-arm drivetrain, operatively coupled with the brush-arm-motor output shaft and with the brush arm to rotate the brush arm relative to the drum about the sixth axis.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Pringle-Iv John W
• Tomuta Raul
• Erickson Chris J

Classifications

• B08B5/04

  Cleaning by suction, with or without auxiliary action · CPC title

• A47L7/0076

  adapted for vehicle cleaning (vehicle cleaning apparatus for interior of land vehicles B60S3/008) · CPC title

• A46B13/02 Primary

  power-driven {carriers} · CPC title

• A47L7/02

  with driven tools for special purposes (with floor-polishing tools A47L11/20) · CPC title

• B08B1/002

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic